


^\.'''^^/ ^^^''^^ °-y5f^*' V^'^^^. V 





0^ ^ojV*^ r 



■<?, 



\ 



'?#. 



vi 






" 4 






TQ^ 



.• .*' 



«>""-^ 



1. E T T E R 



TO THE 



HON, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, 



ON THE 



TT "^J? .L"* 



BY 



LUTHER BAKER. 



NE W.BEDFORD : 

EVENIXG BULLETIN PRESS. 

1846. 






^ 







I 



-^ 







LETTER. 



To the Hon. John Qoincy Adams, 

Member of Congress : 
Dear Sir : 

I have just read your remarkable and lucid speech, 
delivered in the I^onse of Representatives, on the ninth 
day of February, and having noticed the foundation on 
which you so confidently rely as establishing our title 
to the whole of the Oregon Territory, I cannot but ad- 
mire the firmness of mind, and that reliance upon Di- 
vine authority, which you manifest. 

If there can be no possible mistake in your inter- 
pretation of the will of God in reference to our right, 
ownership, and occupancy of the whole of Oregon, 
yet things which are clear to some minds may be dark 
and doubtful to others. And it cannot be deemed 
strange that in reference to the Territory in question 
there should exist an honest difference in the senti- 
ments and views of mankind, both on this and on the 
other side of the Atlantic 

To approach such a man as I esteem you to be in 
the purity of your purpose, with such universal knowl- 
edge of all that appertains to human rights, the gov- 
ernments of the different nations, and your perfect ac- 
quaintance with the wLolc science of jurisprudence, 
and whatever has existed, or does exist in the purposes 
or pursuits and policy of them all : To approach you, 
I s:iy, with the most distant thought of the least possible 
criticism, would be a folly on my part which could not 
be disguised or hidden from the most superficial. 

I do indeed consider you as one of the most pure, 
intelligent, and honest leading politicians on earth. — 
This is nothing new with me, but I have noticed your 
course a great part of the tune for nearly a half cen- 
tury past, and in all the important stations which you 



4 

have filled, I have seen and known much more to which 
I give my unqualified approbation than in any other 
public man on whom has rested from time to time such 
high and vast responsibilities. 

Granting all that you claim for our own country, 
it does not in the whole public mind do away the fact 
at present that Great 3ritain has no right to any part 
of Oregon. 

For myself, in view of all that is passed, I might 
entertain doubts, if it were not that J must go in the 
face of your explanation. This 1 feel loth to do, fear^ 
ing an exposure of my own weakness, and having such 
an opinion, as I possess, of your profound understand- 
ing, and sound judgment. You will therefore regard 
me as yielding w4iatever may have conflicted with your 
views of the ground, or foundation of our title to Ore- 
gon, or to any other territory which we possess. And 
1 will pass on to ask one question on the present state 
of affairs with reference to that territory. It is this, 
,How ought we to treat another christian nation claim- 
ling a right, at least, to a part of that territory ? There 
ought no dispute to exist, but it does exist. There 
ought not to be any contention, but there is contention. 

Sir, it is cause of great regret that you did not go 
on with your speech, for I presume you would have 
given further light with regard to the duty of christian 
nations towards each other, when difficulties arise be-, 
tvveen them, and it seems unfortunate that legislative 
bodies pay so little attention to " the little book," of 
which you spake. I recollect that several years ago a 
distinguished editor of a newspaper in Boston, express- 
ed his surprise that there were several clergymen in the 
Legislature of Massachusetts, and he could not con- 
ceive how they should be there unless religion was con- 
sidered all a farce. And 1 confess my great surprise at 
learning that " the little book," of which you made 
mention was at hand " on the Speaker's table " in the 
Hall of the Representatives of the nation where many 
scenes of late years have been enacted, which would 
have disgraced the cabals of a gambling club. 

But to the matter in question. If I were in Con- 
gress, a member of the House of Representatives, I 



would arfk the Clerk to turn to "the hltle book" on 
the Speaker's table, and read the question in the ninth 
Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles and the sixth verse, 
and he would read as follows : Lord^ what wilt thou 
have me to do ? In my r.pecch I would declare this is 
my motto, and in my conduct I mean to be governed 
by it in reference to Oregon. If any member object- 
ed, 1 V ould refer to the example of the gentleman from 
Massachusetts, it being the very best that was ever 
shown upon that floor. Then I would request the 
Clerk to turn to Genesis, the thirteenth chapter, 
seventh, eighth, and ninth verses, and he would read 
as follows : And there was a strife between the herdmen 
of Abram's cattle, and the herdmen of LoCs cattle, and 
the Camanite, and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land. 
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray 
thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and 
thy herdmen ; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land 
before thee? Separate thyself I pray thee, from me; if 
thou wilt take the left hand then I will go to the ri^ht ; or 
if thou depart to the ri<rht hand then I will go to the left. 
Proceeding then upon the principle that every inch o{ 
territory that any man upon eardi does, or ever car] 
rightfully possess, the ground of his title is found in the 
" little book " upon the Chairman's table, and no where 
else but there. I should be most deeply impressed, and 
should ask, most seriously ask, Lord, vjhat wilt thou 
have me to do ? I should indeed pay but little regard to 
popular opinion in any case, if it conflicted with wdiat 
I should become convinced the Lord would have me 
to do. I would admit your ground by which you say 
we hold all the title wg have to any of our possessions. 
And after admitting it, 1 would frame my speech in the 
following manner : 

Abram should stand lor, or represent our Govern- 
ment. Lot should represent that of Great Britain. — 
The territories where they were should represent Amer- 
ican and British territories. The contentious herdmen 
.should represent the war-hawks in England and the 
United States. And the Canaanite, and the Perizzite 
should represent the Indians that dwell in Oregon. 

In my speech I would allow imagination some play, 



and \i I could find a little to indulge in I should have 
no objection to its indulgence within the bounds of pru- 
dence. The great object would be, not to find out 
what this party, or that party might think of me. How 
much it would cost ior gun boats or steamers, a navy 
and fortifications, an army and armor. 1 should lay 
aside every thing but just the matter in hand and say, 
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? To be sure, I would 
bring up all these, or any one of them, should I think I 
could get any light to teach me what the Lord would 
have me to do. But my meaning is, that neither profit, 
nor loss, nor honor, nor disgrace, nor land, nor money 
should influence me. If i could only find out God's 
will concerning me, I would do it. I should make 
great use of v/bat Abram said and did. There was 
trouble, and 1 almost wish we couki have more of the 
history of those herdmen. They were an uneasy set of 
fellows, so are our war-hawks. There seems to have 
been nothing in Abram's or Lot's mind of an irritable 
nature towards each other, till the herdmen got at it, 
and Abram then feared that Lot might be influenced 
by them, and consequently a strife take place between 
him and his nephew. Abram was a good man. lie 
did not lack spirit, but was very conscientious. He 
knew what to do. So he v/ent to Lot, and did his duty. 
He said, Let there be no strife between me and thee. — 
How different from what we now see and hear. Now 
it is, let war come. 1 believe there will be war, let it 
come, the honor of the nation is at stake, and that is 
more than all riches and peace and prosperity. All is 
to be sacrificed to their God of war. No matter, we 
must all die sooner or later. And if thousands die by 
the sword, if they are slain on the battle field, they do 
but die, and die they must, if not slain by the sword — 
Shall we act like Abram ? Succumb to Great Britain ? 
and say to her, let there be no strife. No ! ^^'c will 
have all that belongs to us. And further. Let there 
be no strife, 1 pray. Infamous! My blood boils. f 
pray thee. Horrible! To arms, to arms. Oregon 
we will have — the whole of it. "We will fight ynu. — 
We will have the whole or none. What a method to 
preserve peace, and to promote good temper ! To 



settle national disputes about territory! No! Give 
the bowie knife for our neighbor, the sword, pistol, and 
rifle for gentlemen, and all these, and gun boats, and 
steamers, a navy, an army and ordinance, and Oregon 
is ours forever, it 1 am not egregiously deceived, the 
herdmen on both sides, would rather get it, by such 
means, than that either God, or man should give it to 
them. All this array, stir, and threatening takes place 
before any one, at home or abroad, absolutely says, you 
shall not liave it. Ihe true secret is, if there be one, 
but I think there is none, for it seems that the herdmen 
would rather fight than not. They seek occasion to 
set our Abram, and Lot at variance, to effect their own 
selfish purposes. They are not like our wise, profound, 
and patriotic statesmen who have the good of the coun- 
try at heart. A\ ith the war-hawks, the catch-word is 
honor, but the meaning is fight. 1 would then say. Sir, 
the foundation of all the title to territory recorded in 
Genesis, was, 1 think, as well understood by Abram who 
saw the day of Christ alar ofl", as by any man now liv- 
ing. And as a different state oi things existed, especially 
in relation to morals, and the indulgence of human pas- 
sions at that tim.e, from that which existed when the 
foundation to the title was granted, for that was before 
the fall of man, and about two thousand years before 
Abram's day. 1 think no man living can be a better 
pattern for us to follow, than that venerable Patriarch, 
especially as he knew so \veil how to manage a difficul- 
ty in which he was so deeply interested, and in which his 
relative and friend had as much at stake probably as 
himself. He saw at once that his own power, and au- 
thority, and that of Lot also was required to put down 
the villains that were disturbing the peace of both fam- 
ilies, Vvithout the least profit to either, and to the injury 
of both, lie was a great man. He ruled his own 
spirit, and showed himself better than he thai taketh a 
city. O tiiat such were our Abram, and that such were 
Britain's Lot ! There would be no more trouble in 
surmounting the difficulty about Oregon, than a son of 
Anak would have in getting over a mole-hill. And 
now for men who keep the "little book" upon the 
Speaker's table, and v>ho onuht to see that the 



s 

groiiiid oi ihcir title to all that they possess is there, 
and no where else but there ; for them to talk of war, 
building war-steamers, and of furnishing every thing 
for ofTensive and defensive war, 1 declare, it seems to 
demand a doubt whether some of them believe that the 
Lord ever gave them a title to a single inch of ground 
in the world, for it seems that they mean to fight to get 
that in Oregon, and if so, they mean, if they can find 
occasion, to fight to keep it. 

What would Father Abraham say to christiati na- 
tions, to those who believe, who are blessed with him, 
to see them beating their plough-shares into swords^ 
and their pruning hooks into spears, to plunge them 
into a brother's heart. Alas ! Tell it not in Gath. — 
Publish it not in Oregon, to the Canaanite, and Periz- 
zite who now dwell in that land, lest they say, the sons 
of Abram are more cruel than the untutored heathen 
who now roam in the forest. 

1 would say. Sir, as Abram knew how to treat a 
mattter of such serious concern, and to manage such 
an unruly set of herdmen as his own, and those who 
belonged to the family of Lot, how should governments 
learn to treat their citizens and subjects. They should 
never excite them with inflammatory speeches. They 
should discourage all recourse to arms until things were 
brought to extremities. They should speak calmly to 
each other, and even beseech each other to say, Let 
there be no strife between me and thee, 

Herdmen should not be allowed to say one word^ 
as herdmen, until the governments themselves had de- 
cided what to do in every case. Their business is to 
fight, if they have any, and no one needs their counseh 
All know their mind without asking them. Let it not 
be thought that I include all military men in this coun- 
try, or in England. No. He that would charge to the 
cannon's mouth to save his country, is a very different 
man from the herdmen of either Abram or Lot. 

How dignified was the language of Abram to Lot ! 
Let there be no strife between me and thee. Would the 
power, energy, or courage of an individual, or any 
number of men be impaired now, were such language 
used by them r Certainly not. Was the spirit of lib- 



9 

erty, tlie hatred of tyranny, and oppression quenched, 
or diminished in the great AVashington, Frankhn, Adams, 
Warren, and Putnam, and a host of other worthies by 
their i'orbearance ? Ko. Wlicn they rose up, it was in 
the majesty of their strength, girt witli a consciousness 
that they had done all they could do to perpetuate peace 
before they drew the sword from the scabbard. But 
now behold our herdmen are going to show fight at 
once, and conquer, with six or eight steamers, the great- 
est maratime power on the globe. I think it would be 
better for them to read in the " little book," on the 
speaker's table, what the King of Israel, by his servant, 
said to Benhadad. Let not him that girdeth on his 
harness boast himself, as he that putteth it ofi'. And 1 
think it would be well to send some of them, for the 
present over the rocky mountain to some sequestered 
spot, some Jericho, and let them there remain till their 
beard be grown. 

Sir, the Canaanitc, and tlie Ferizzite dwelt in the 
land. The Indians are in Oregon, and it is, at least, a 
weighty question about their expulsion. I know not 
that Abram wanted to expel those Canaanites and Per- 
izzites that dwelt in the land, tor he seems to have been 
a very peaceable man, and his greatest friend, to whom 
he was most tenderly united, was Melchisedec, King of 
Salem, and Priest of the ]\lost High God. He was 
King of righteousness, and after that King of Salem, 
which is King of peace. Yet, if Abram was compell- 
ed to fight, he fought to purpose. He did not explore 
the countries every where to find rivers and creeks, and 
claim them, and then get up a quarrel, lest at some 
time or other before the end of the world, some body 
might paddle up^ and down them in a flat-bottom skili', 
or Indian canoe, and fight the world to prevent it. He 
pursued business upon a more dignitied and enlarged 
scale. He did not keep forever changing his policy, 
and teazing, and perplexing his own family, and disjoint- 
ing, and clogging, and deranging their pursuits by set- 
ting up plans for the support of his government, and 
upsetting them once or twice a year, so that the herd- 
men could hardly know where to pasture their cattle, 
or those who used the mattock, where to prepare the 



10 

ground for planting. He, and they all kept about their 
business steadily, unless they were disturbed by the 
contentious herdmen, and he knew well how to silence 
them, and when a proper time came up for them to 
defend themselves, or their friends by force, Abram did 
it to purpose, but always in what he considered a righ- 
teous cause. So after four kings came down upon 
Sodom, and sacked it, and carried away Lot, Abram's 
brother's son ; as soon as he got the intelligence, there 
was no delay on his part, he armed his servants at 
once. 11 is committee of ways and means had attended 
to their business, the weapons were on hand and paid 
for. 1 tell you. Sir, after all the improvements for about 
four thousand years, that the present age know not any 
better how to manage the affairs that concern them, 
than Abram did ; indeed, many of them not half so w^ell. 
Abram attacked the enemy at once, it was the right 
time to do it, and rescued his nephew, and with him all 
the goods, the women also and the people. And the 
king of Sodom ivent out to meet him. And the king of 
Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons and take 
the goods to thyself There, Sir, look at the reply, And 
Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have hfted up my 
hand to the J^ord, the Most High God, the possessor of 
heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread, 
even to a shoe-latchet, and that I w\\\ not take anything 
that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram 
rich. Now, Sir, if any one wishes to see heroic valor, 
let him read "the little book." If he wants to see a 
noble mind, let him look at Abram. If he wishes to see " 
a generous, independent spirit, let him look at the holy 
patriarch. And if patriots wish to support the honor, 
the dignity and independence of then* respective nations, 
then let our Abram and Lot say to each other. Let 
there be no strife between me and thee, nor between 7ny 
herdmen and thy herdmen, I pray thee, and just stop the 
clamor of war-hawks, and then at least, in a civil and 
political sense, peace will flow unto us as. a river, and 
righteousness as the waves of the sea. Sir, it is my 
opinion that Abram as readily acknowledged the rights 
of the Canaanite and Perizzite that dwelt-in the land as 
he claimed his own. And as he was a man of God, he 



11 

readily gave them every protection in Iiis power. But 
now it seems that many tliink that the color of tlie skin, 
the straight, or curly hair, and the appearance of the 
teeth, and eyes, determine who ought to possess Oregon, 
Texas, California, Yucatan, and all the rest of the v/orld. 
And if a man be born with a dark skin and curly hair, 
it is a crime, he is proscribed, and not allow-ed to own 
an inch of ground upon the face of the earth. Indeed, 
he is not permitted to own himself. 

From all the ideas that I have ever formed of 
Lucifer, son of the morning, even after his fall, I have 
never thought that he would confess that he was in pos- 
session of such sentiments, for fenr he might blush at 
what many of our people maintain with such bold 
effrontery. Sir, from the manner in which the gentle- 
man from JMassachusetts has treated subjects of this 
sort, I have no doubt he will descend to the grave with 
the wrath of the oppressor of our race, aimed at him to 
the uttermost, and with the approbation ofhis own con- 
science, of all good men, and that which is infinitely 
more, the approbation of God. 

tJir, the sentiments of some of our people and the 
herdmcn in particular, seem to be, to keep all we have, 
and to get all w^e can. Or in other words to own all 
the land we have, and all that joins it, and then cross 
over, and take the islands of the sea. 1 have no doubt 
some have m idea ere this, compassed Cape Horn, as 
part and parcel of these United States, 'ihis, indeed, 
is rail-road speed with a w^itness, and I am afraid, if w'o 
do not lower the steam, and check the herdmen vAio 
cry, make it liotter, make it hotter, we shall burst the 
boiler, or throw the whole train off the track, and kill, 
at least, one half of the passengers, and that the world 
passing by will mock, and say, these fellows undertook 
to run the swiftest, and most unexampled race, and 
were unable to finish. 

Sir, I think by this time, tliat if I Averc in Congress, 
instead of being where I am, I should hear the words, 
order, order, irrelevant, fcc, &c. But to return. I 
would say. Sir, Great Britain is our relative, Lot w^as 
Abram's brother's son. The cases are not exactly par- 
allel. Great Britain i> the parent countrv. It is true, 



12 

we have Iiad cur family quarrels, ])ut it would have been 
better for Lot to have said to us, li' thou wilt depait to 
the right hand, I Vv'ill go to the left. But waving every 
thing about the cause, prosecution, and consequences 
o{ these quarrels, let us turn our attention, more partic- 
ularly to modern Lot. [Je has herdmen like our herd- 
men, and there is strife between his and ours, and I 
would to God, if there must be war, and if our modern 
Abram and Lot shcuid prove recreant to the principles 
of ancient Abram and Lot, and let loose the dogs of 
war on both sides, that those who compose the two cab- 
inets should be placed in the fore front of the hottest 
battle, and they together with their herdmen have to 
fight it out Vv'ithout a single soul to help them. But 
before I proceed further, I ought to tell the reason why 

I have chosen Abram to represent us. It is because I 
love my country and its institutions, all but one which 
hangs like an incubus about the neck of our nation, and 
v/i!l if not removed as surely sink us into ruin, as we 
now have an existence. But Lot is, and has been very 
much to blame, he had no right to say that he was pre- 
pared to meet us, and contend v/ith us, and then for the 
herdmen to shout a huzza. It was all wronfr. So did 
not Abram. So did not Lot. And though we call the 
governments by these names so honored in the past 
time, yet when we view the contrast in the present, 
both theirs, and ours, we say as the " little book " on 
the Speaker's table says, Hov/ are the mighty fallen ! 

I I ow is the gold become dim ! Bow is the most fine gold 
changed ! O that our governmenthad the magnanimity 
of Abram. O, that the British had that of Lot! But 
if to war they will go, I will say of them, as the Patriarch 
said of ."^imeon and Levi, instruments of cruelty are in 
their hahitations. O my soul, come not thou into their 
rccret ; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou 
united. 

Now, Sir, it may be objected that my remarks are 
inappropriate, because the ancient governments were 
patriarchal, and therefore no example ought to be re- 
garded by us, which they have shown. But so far from 
this is the fact, tliat the patriarchal is chosen to show 
what should be the spirit of our Abram and I^ot toward 



13 

racii otiier. Was iIliI of Abrjiii} and Lot brothcriy r — ? 
So is ours. Were they professors of the same religion ? 
So arc we. Did they descend from the same parents? 
So have we. Did they mutually enjoy the advantages 
of trade, of commerce? So do we. Were they socially 
and affectionately bound to each other ? \V'e have 
similar ties, and enjoyments, and mutual afl'ections. — 
And shall we fight ? Sooner let our right lumd forget 
its cunning, than to raise it to plunge the dagger into 
our brother's bosom. Shall we, in time of peace, sit 
together at the table, in memory of the body and blood 
of the Lord, and then in time of war thrust the deadly 
weapon into each others heart ? Dees the religion of 
the Prince of Peace, authorise this ? Will he who came 
not to destroy melt's lives hut to save them, allow this ?. — 
But, O the herdmen on both sides, l^et them be 
silenced, and we shall do well enough. For where no 
wood is, the fire gocth out, so where there is no tattling, 
whispering, brawling war-hawks, strife ceaseth. For 
as coals are to buniini^ coals, and wood to fire, so is a 
contentious man to kindle strife^ 

1 never thought. Sir, ot getting up a speech to be 
delivered in Congress, any piore than of going to the 
moon to deliver one, until 1 read your speech, which 
poured such a liood of light upon my soid and mind, 
that I now think I could not only speak my hour, if I 
were an honored member of that august bodv, (for there 
are honorable men there after all,) but a whole day if 
needful. For most seriously I do consider you to liave 
presented the true and only ground of our title to every 
inch of territory that we possess. And that not only 
scripturally, but also philosophically, with a clearnesi*, 
and force which sophistry, or artificej or learning can- 
not set aside, or ol^scure. 

To the Speaker, I would say, Sir, my first object 
is to pnt down the herdmen, for nothing can be done to 
])urpose until that isf'donc, and this will he a])parent to 
every fair mind when the whole case is duly considered. 
Between them the strife already exists, and if it contin- 
ues, and continue it will, until they arc made to know 
their place, Abrani and Lot are everyday liable to get 
at variance through their pernicious influence. And 



14 

how. shall. thi-s iniTaence he .suppressed? Sir, Abram and Lc^t both 
must tell them thru tliey will no longer listen to their bickerings. — 
And if they^do an act of violence hereafter among themselves, they 
shall be regarded by them as refractory herdmen, and be dealt with 
accordingly. Let Abram and Lot do this, and the whole business, 
respecting Oregon will be speedily adjusted and settled. The 
-Canaanite and|Perizzite will dwell safely in the land. The territo- 
ry will soon be replenished, and tl-e wilderness bud and blossom as 
the rose. 

Sir, the contempt poured by some upon commercial pursuits is 
■too mean to claim much reply. Trade conducted upon fair princi- 
ples is honorable, aijd I would here say to those gentlemen who re- 
side far back in the country, and who think that the distresses of 
war can never reach them in their secure retreat, dhat it would be 
better for ihem to have .some little regard to dollars and cents in 
thqir caiculation& ; for if they go to war for Oregon and take it, 
every rabbit wi-il cost them more liian a yoke of oxen does-now, and 
, every squirrel, more than a three year old steer. And your land 
.will be taxed, and you will have to pay for them, at those enormous 
;pri-ces. You cannot prevent it, for when commerce is crushed, the 
■i^i<3tiey must come out of you. 1 then would proceed in a grave and 
solemii manner, and I believe I should feel it, to tell the gentlemen, 
.tha,t a crisis seems to be approaching, either for the weal or wo of 
.millions of the human family, and that now a greater responsibility 
; rests upon us, than at any former period, hovvi^ver eventful. That 
■ the eyes of all the civilized world are upon us, and that the ste|)s of 
.our o-overnment will stamp the nation with a black afld indelible 
stain of eternal infamy, or raise it to honor and distinction among 
the nations of the earth far bevond.the most splendid triumphs that 
i^.orae ever witnessed. 

Sir, in view of what is, and that which may soon come to pass 
in all human jirobability , if the wisdom of our national councds 
does not arrest the apparent progress of things in their present 
.course and direction, we may soon hear that which may cause tvtrv 
ear to tingle, and many hearts to melt. 

I apprehend it will be ultimately, if war should take place, 
worse for Great Britain, than fur us. But we shall wade througii 
bk)Qd and carnage to obtain the laurels which are to deck the brwv 
of the conqueror when he returns from the field, the accldama of 
his strujrgles, and his triumph. Great Britain is probably looking 
for.vard io a broad dash upoa our trade, which is to fill her coders 
with the vast treasures which we have floating upon the bosom of 
every ocean, and the total wreck of our flourishing commerce, and 
with the whole world. She will, if we have war, undoubtedly make 
a great sweep, and theo be ready to negotiate, an-fl divide Oregon, 
i)ut will deceive herself most cgregiously in her mistaken calcula- 
tion, for she will, in the end, fm- every dollar of gain, have to en- 
dure a loss of ten. The Republic, so slow in getting prepared, will 
be but just ready to begin the contest, and not an ocean will be clear 
.of public and private armed ships, to prey upon her commerce in 
turn. Let her drive us back from some of our sea ports, it will 
..unlv be like a river running bick upon itself, and it will rost her 



15 

more to come and burn oilr towns, and vilhige?, tliau' flie plunder 
she will obtain, to liclp pay the expense, and sh^? will not be so well 
oft as when she bejjfah, and wo shall j^ain nothing' in such a squabble. 
Indeed I wouM rather that Sir Robert Peel, in Parliament, should 
shout, and say all I'cach/ for six vveeks, and the rest huzza for six 
weeks toge{*ier, and General Cass, and Mr. Allen resolve and re- 
resolve, <vnd then resolve again, than to see only one such scei>d as 
I one day witnessed in a small town in the war of the revolution. 

Sir, I can see our bold, vaunting heroes returning in imagina- 
tion from the field and standing in the presence of tens of thousands 
to receive the homage of the natujU, and removing the military cov- 
ering of the head, to receive the laurels which are to deck their 
brow" as a reward of a grntefid people for their services in the work 
of blood and death, and looking to the Presidential chair with in- 
tense desire, and imagining with what dignity and grace they will 
fn| that chair. But with them, as with others, ihe end is not tjrl. — 
They have not yet girded on the harness, and if they do, it is as un- 
certain who will put' it off, as it was to Packingham, or Ross, before 
♦ hey landed on our coast. 

I have not the least apprehension that the skill, or prowess \\\ 
war of our enemy, will outdo that which our own countrymen will 
manifest in the sliarpest, or hottest contest, nor that brother Jona- 
than will not kill as many of John Bull's men, as John Bull can of 
his, with equal numbers on both sides. Indeed I would rather have 
the chance of lite with Jonathan, than with John, for Jonathan has 
learned that there is no fair play in fighting, and that if he only puts 
a ball through an Englishman's heari, " any way he can fix it," he 
is as surely a dead man as if he shot him ever so scientifically. 

Sir, I would say, after thanking the House, for their patience 
in hearing me with so much attention, there is but one question 
more on whicii I will detain you at present upon the important sub- 
ject of debate before us, and that is in view of the statement and 
explanation of the centleman from Massachusetts, of the ground of 
our right to Oregon ; and that is whether Great Britain, Denmark, 
or Sweden, have not as much right to it, as we have, if they are 
christian nations. I only mention this as a thought that crosses 
my mind in view of that quotation from the " little book" on the 
Speaker's table, and which is found in the latter part of St. Mat- 
thews' Gospel, which reads thus: All power is given unto me in 
heaven and in earth, go ye therelore, and teach all nations, baptiz- 
ing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have 
commanded you. and lo ! I am with you always even unto the end 
bf the world. From the whole connection in the gentleman's 
speech, I understand him to mean that we have in the "little book " 
the ground of a title to Oregon, and to civilize, and christianise that 
people. I ask then, has not Great Britain as good a richt to gc 
there, as we have for that purpose, or Denmark, or Sweden, as 
either? [ would say to them all, go by vour heralds, if there is 
room, and people there, and cnntmd rarnesthi for the faith once 
delivered, to the saints. Subdue the rebel to God. Bring his every 
thought into subjection to the tnind of Christ. And as much as I- 



16 

om opposed to war I should like to go tliere myself, and become a 
hiiinbie instrument and leader in such a contention, to subject every 
lierdman to the same blessed government. In lliis war I glory 
where the contest and lorcstling is not agabisl jlcfli and blood, but 
against jjrincipa/itirs, against puwet s, against the rulers of the dark- 
ness of this world, and against spiritual ivickedness in high places. 
Sir, 1 should say, it I were allowed to go on in this House, I know 
not when, how, or where I should finish my speech, with the thoughts 
suggested by the words last quoted from the " little book " upon the 
Speaker's table. But I am confident I should say enough myself to 
make a small book for the consideration of the House of Repre- 
sentatives. But I forbear. A word to the wise is sufficient. A 
Vvord more, and I will relieve the patience of the House. Sir, we 
must not underrate the power, and influence of the sons of strife. — 
It is great. They have always been the plague of the world and 
forever will be so, until they are put down by superior power. 

There does not exist the great difficulty which many imagine' 
There is territory enough for Abram and Lot both, and if there is 
any danger from any quarter that either of the families will be 
broken up, or suffer severely in consequence of future changes, it 
js not because they need more land, for they both have too much 
already; And it is much more likely that trouble will sooner come 
by having too much, tlian too little, for the more they have, the 
more herdmen will they have of course; and if so, of consequence 
strife will increase. And in truth there is nothing of an outward 
nature, more likely to produce collisions among themselves in their 
own families, than that their respective territories are so much too 
large. And shall they fight one another for more? Forbid it,' 
reason ; forbid it, honor; forbid it, common sense; forbid it, interest ; 
forbid it, all virtue and humanity. 

Yours with the most profound respect, 

MJTSIER BAMEK. 

New-Bedford, March 12, 184G. 







f^A 
'P*. 












c^ .n 




O 'o . . * A, ^ 



* G^ ^o/*'^" 



-- %^ 






.-iq. 



V 

6 ° " " ♦ 



<*. 



.-^ 



! vrV 













i- R 



KSja=j/y N. MANCHESTER, 
"^^ '^ INDIANA 46962 



'-r^^^^' 












